1853] 



ANNUAL REPORT, 1852-53. 



121 



9. 



On the Causes which influence the Circulation of the 

 Blood.— By Dr. Bovell. 

 10. On Ornamental Planting.— By Professor Buckland. 



At the Annual Conversazione, an Introductory Address was 

 delivered by the Hon. Judge Draper, which was followed by ad- 

 dresses from the following gentlemen : 



Rev. Prof Irving — On Binocular Vision. 



Dr. Hodder, on the Poisonous Plants in the neighbourhood of 



Toronto. 

 Rev. Dr. Scadding — On Accidental Discoveries. 

 T. Henning, Esq. — On Late Arctic Expeditions. 



Although many of these papers were not only excellent in a 

 literary or scientific view, but also of peculiar interest in connec- 

 tion with this Province, the Council cannot refrain from express- 

 ing their regret and disappointment, at the total absence of any 

 papers on the Science of Engineering, — a science for the promo- 

 tion of whose interests the Society was originally established, and 

 which, considering the magnitude and importance of the engin- 

 eering operations now going on in this country, should naturally 

 include a large portion of the intellect of the Society. 



The number of Members of the Institute was, at the period of 

 the last report 112; during the last session, 135 new Members 

 have been added, and a list of 1 6 new names will be submitted 

 this evening for the ballot, being those of gentlemen who applied 

 after the close of the Session, and whom the Council, according 

 to custom, admitted provisionally, — the total number bf members 

 will thus be raised to 263. 



The annexed Balance Sheet will show that the financial con- 

 dition of the Society is flourishing, there being a balance in fa- 

 vour of the Institute of .£145 16s. For this gratifying result, 

 the Society is to a great extent indebted to the liberality of 

 Government, who continue to aid them with the aunual grant of 

 £250, and the use of the rooms rent free. This grant it has 

 been the aim of the Council to expend on objects of permanent 

 value, such as the Library, the Museum, and the Canadian 

 Journal. 



The Council have much pleasure in announcing the success 

 which has attended the publication of the Canadian Journal in 

 the manner advised by their predecessors. While serving as the 

 official medium for the publication of the Society's transactions, 

 it has also made good its claims to public support on independent 

 grounds as a Scientific Journal, and the Council have every rea- 

 son to expect that under the able conduct of its present editor, it 

 will well sustain the high character it has already earned. 



The circulation of the Journal is now about 440 copies monthly, 

 and of the first volume there only remain at this time twenty 

 complete sets which have been reserved by the Council for the 

 purposes of the Institute ; in view of this fact it has been deemed 

 advisable to increase the numberof impressions from 500 to 750, 

 believing that the supply will not be in excess of the demand that 

 may be expected. 



It may here be mentioned that application was made to the 

 late Post Master General, to allow the Journal to be transmitted 

 post free, in reply it was stated that the Post Master General 

 could not accede to the request, but would put the Journal on 

 the same footing as the Anglo American Magazine, and allow it 

 to pass at half rates The Council regret that the Post Master 

 General was unable to see the distinction between a purely scien- 

 tific Journal, published at the cost of a learned society, and 

 without expectation or intention of profit, and a literary maga- 

 zine, which however excellent in its aim and execution, can only 

 be considered as the enterprise of a private individual, and on 

 which the reduction of postage would merely tend to increase his 



personal profit. The Council hope that on a renewed application 

 by their successors to the Post Office authorities, this decision, 

 in view of the privileges granted to the Journal of Education and 

 the Agriculturist, and still later concessions to the Press, will be 

 considered. 



The Council would take this opportunity of calling the atten- 

 tion of the Publishing Committee of the Journal, to the fact that 

 the history and, details of the many great Public Works of En- 

 gineering in this Province, are at present either unpublished, or 

 only in such a shape as to be all but inaccessible to the general 

 reader. The Council are led to believe that a great collection 

 of drawings, and much important information now lodo-ed in 

 Government Offices, would be willingly placed at the disposal of 

 the Committee for publication in the Journal, and that the outlay 

 would be trifling in comparison with the benefits derived there- 

 from : they would therefore recommend their successors to take 

 steps by which such publication may be effected, believing that 

 the results will be highly beneficial in every respect. 



In regard to the formation of a Library and Museum, as 

 advised by the last Report, the Council have expended a sum of 

 £140 4s. 9d. in the purchase of books for the former, in addition 

 to an unexpended appropriation of £110, for books not yet de- 

 livered ; keeping strictly in view the character of the Library as 

 defined in that Report " one of Scientific reference." 



The following are the works alluded to : 



Naturalists' Library. 40 



Totten on Mortals 



Loudon's Encyclopaedia of Architecture 



Trees ..." 



Gardening- _ 



Agriculture 



Johnston's General Gazetteer „ 



Gwilts Encyclopaedia of Architecture . 



Cresy's " Civil Engineering . . 



Cuvier's Animal Kingdom ._ 



Agassiz and Gould's Zoology _ _ 



Dana's system of Mineralogy . 



Bourne on the Steam Engine . 



" on Surveying and Engineering. 



Sim's Principles and Practice of Levelling 



" on Drawing Instruments 



Transactions of the Institutes of Civil Engineers 



Yo\.l _"_'_'_'" 

 Vol.2.... 



5 parts, Vol. 3 5 



Abstract of philosophical Transactions, 1800 to 1850 5 



Transactions of the Institute of British Architects 2 



Pambour's Theory of the Steam Engine 1 



Taylor's Scientific Memoirs, in parts q 



The Builder... V-........Y... 10 



Railway Practice by S. C. Brees o 



Weale on Bridges 3 



Journal of the Astronomical Society . u 



Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal _ _ 12 



British Association Reports jg 



Plora of North America 2 



Volumes 135 



The following periodicals are regularly taken in, and will be 

 bound for the Library : — 



Illustrated News, 

 Athenaeum, 

 Builder, 

 Expositor, 



